Canada edges Sweden in overtime thriller to open NHL 4 Nations Face-Off

13 Feb 2025Henrik Lundqvist»

Montreal – The highly anticipated NHL 4 Nations Face-Off began with a dramatic overtime battle at Bell Centre, where Canada secured a 4-3 victory over Sweden. Mitch Marner delivered the game-winner at 66:06, capping an intense opening match.

Canada - Sweden 4-3 OT

The star-studded Canadian team stormed out of the gates, with Nathan MacKinnon scoring just 56 seconds into the game on a power play, assisted by Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. Brad Marchand doubled the lead at 13:15, putting Sweden in an early hole. The first period ended 2-0, with Canada dominating both possession and shots (7-3).

Sweden found its footing in the second period, cutting the deficit to 2-1 at 29:33 through Jonas Brodin’s well-placed shot, assisted by Victor Hedman and Lucas Raymond. However, Canada regained a two-goal lead before the intermission when Mark Stone capitalized on another Crosby setup at 37:28.

Tre Kronor refused to back down. Adrian Kempe’s blistering shot at 41:54 made it 3-2, and Joel Eriksson Ek completed the comeback at 48:59 after a beautiful passing sequence from Jesper Bratt and Lucas Raymond. The game remained deadlocked through regulation, forcing overtime.

In the extra frame, Canada’s offensive firepower proved decisive. Sidney Crosby—who recorded three assists and was 1st star of the game —set up Marner for the winning goal at 66:06, sealing a 4-3 victory for the host nation.

Jordan Binnington made 23 saves for Canada, while Sweden’s Filip Gustavsson stopped 24 of 28 shots. Despite the loss, Sweden’s comeback after a disastrous start earned them a valuable point in the tournament standings.

Canada begins the tournament with two points, while Sweden collects one.